Delhi blast update: Security forces demolished the Pulwama house of Dr Umar, who was driving an explosive-laden car near Red Fort on Monday, according to officials, PTI reported. The demolition took place during the night from Thursday to Friday, they added.
A car explosion near Red Fort on the night of November 10 killed 13 people and injured many others.
Umar was driving a Hyundai i20 loaded with explosives. His identity was verified when DNA samples from the blast site matched those of his mother. Once recognized as a highly skilled professional, Umar is believed to have become radicalized over the past two years. Investigators said he joined several extremist groups on social media.
It is believed that the suspects namely Dr. Umar Un Nabi, Dr. Muzammil Ganaie and Dr. Shaheen Shahid, used the app to plan and coordinate activities related to a terrorist plot.
Three doctors associated with Faridabad’s Al Falah University, who are currently being investigated over a fatal car explosion near the Red Fort on Monday night, were in frequent contact through the Swiss encrypted app Threema, police said on Thursday.
Authorities also suspect that Umar, who was driving the car that exploded on Monday, and his associates were using a red EcoSport, now impounded in Faridabad, to transport and store ammonium nitrate. According to PTI, sources identified Umar as the most radicalized member of the group and the central link between the doctors. After the arrest of Muzammil and others involved in the plot, he is said to have switched off his phones and cut off digital contacts.
A source said: “Unlike conventional messaging platforms, Threema does not require a phone number or email ID for registration, making it extremely difficult to track users.
A police source said: “Detailed planning is believed to have been carried out through this private network, including location sharing and assignment of tasks.
The trio allegedly used the app for encrypted text chats, exchanging documents and drafts and voice communications rather than using standard mobile networks. For added secrecy, Threema allows messages to be deleted from both ends and does not store metadata, further complicating forensic searches, the source added.
The agencies believe that this closed Threema network played an important role in carrying out the blast. Investigators are now working to assess whether the private server used by the group was hosted in India or abroad and whether other members of the module had access to it. Preliminary findings indicate that the app was used to transmit restricted material and coded messages between members of the terrorist cell, officials said.
